An FIR has been registered against nine clerics who returned from the Tablighi Jamaat's congregation in New Delhi's Nizamuddin last month and were hiding in a madrassa on the Nepal border, police said on Thursday.

They have been booked under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease).

'Police found nine maulanas, residents of Amroha, in a madrassa in the Jamunaha locality of the Malhipur area where they were hiding on Wednesday. They arrived here on March 13 and stayed in a mosque too,'SP Anup Kumar said.

They neither informed the administration about their presence nor volunteered for the medial examination, the SP said, adding that they have been quarantined in the madarssa itself.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) was pushed into service for disinfecting the Nizamuddin area, which has emerged as a hotspot for coronavirus outbreak in the national capital.

According to Atul Garg, director of DFS, the operation to disinfect the area began on Thursday.

The fire department personnel involved in the process have been provided with masks and gloves, he said.